BALFOUR PHI DELTA PHI
MINORITY SCHOLARSHIP AWARD GUIDELINES
In September 1997, the Phi Delta Phi Legal Institute, the research and educational arm of the Phi Delta
Phi International, launched a minority scholarship program – the BALFOUR PHI DELTA PHI
MINORITY SCHOLARSHIP FUND – funded by a $100,000 grant from the Lloyd G. Balfour
Foundation, administered by Bank of America’s Foundation and Philanthropic Services of Boston,
Massachusetts.
One of the purposes of the Lloyd G. Balfour Foundation is to make higher education more available to
urban, minority youth, by providing scholarship assistance. The Foundation is especially interested in
minority education projects affecting New England, and Massachusetts in particular.
The Phi Delta Phi Legal Institute, in its grant application, stated that the new Minority Scholarship
Program to be administered by the Institute is to encourage minority law students to return to the inner
cities of the country to engage in the practice of law and, while doing so, to serve as role models for
urban, minority youth. In selecting the minority scholarship winners, those applicants from the New
England states, if otherwise qualified, will be given priority status.
In announcing the grant and an additional grant of $50,000 to be applied to the on-going Balfour
Scholarship Fund, the distribution committee of the Lloyd G. Balfour Foundation stated –
“The Committee was very impressed with your ongoing programs and your effort to expand
programming to benefit the minority community. We wish you continued success.”
Interest income from the Balfour Phi Delta Phi Minority Scholarship Fund will provide one three
thousand dollar ($3,000 USD) grant this academic year.
ELIGIBILITY:
- Prior winners of Balfour Scholarships are precluded from entering this competition.
- Candidates must be members of Phi Delta Phi International for a minimum of one year.
- The term minority shall include African American, American Indian/Alaskan Native,
Asian/Pacific Islander, Hispanic and LGBT students. By submitting an application for this
Scholarship, a student swears or affirms that he or she is a minority as defined herein.
- Candidates must be in good academic standing and currently in their last scholastic year of legal
education.
- Candidates must affirm that their present intent is to practice law in the inner-cities of the United
States, and New England in particular.
INN GUIDELINES:
Each Inn may select up to three candidates. Selection procedures shall be consistent with the general
Balfour Minority Scholarship objectives stated above and shall be incorporated into the Inn Bylaws prior
to candidate selection.
Each Inn will submit a copy of application Form BSA-I for each candidate to International Headquarters
on or before October 11. Applications may be emailed to info@phideltaphi.org.
A letter from the Dean of the law school certifying the good academic and class standing of each
candidate shall accompany every application. A brief biographical sketch of the candidate or résumé
shall accompany every application. Failure to submit either a letter from the Dean or a biographical
sketch will automatically disqualify an applicant.
NOTE: Please note that application Form BSA-I serves as an application form for the Balfour
Scholarship, the International Exchange Scholarship and the Balfour Minority Scholarship.
GENERAL INFORMATION:
Applications will be collected by International Headquarters and forwarded to the Justices of Phi Delta
Phi’s Court of Appeals.
The Court of Appeals will determine the recipients of the Balfour Minority Scholarships based upon
service to Phi Delta Phi, scholastic merit and individual essay, not to exceed 750 words, stating why
they believe themselves qualified to serve as role models for minority youth. There is no requirement
that there be any scholarship winners in a given year.
The recipient of the Balfour Minority Scholarship award will be announced on the Phi Delta Phi Web
Site, www.phideltaphi.org, on or before January 31.